'rarely-preserved' originates from the combination of 'rarely,' meaning 'not often,' and 'preserved,' meaning 'maintained in its original state.'

The term 'rarely-preserved' evolved from the individual words 'rarely' and 'preserved,' which have been used in English since the Middle Ages.

Initially, 'rarely' meant 'seldom' and 'preserved' meant 'maintained,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.